Playing Mama

Cecilia is starting to really enjoy her dolls these days.  So much so we had a few little lessons tonight on baby care taking.

First, the proper way to put the baby in stroller (or the push toy that we are using as a stroller for now).  Bottom first not head...

Second, how to carry a baby.  She was already pretty good at this but added the patting of the back while walking to calm a fussy baby.

Lastly, how to swaddle a baby.  This one is going to take some time.  She was way more interested in the blanket than the baby at this point.

Dolls was one of my favorite things to play as a child and it's fun to see Cecilia have the same interest in dolls.

Side note:  the reason my child has no pants on is by the end of the day she is a no pants kind of girl.  They just get in the way.

In Good Company

Early this afternoon, we rolled back into town after a weekend with Brent's college friends.  We've been getting together with the same group for 6 years.  This year was a little different though because 3 of the 4 couples had a small one and our weekend was spent waking up early, chasing them around and making sure they were happy.  Very different from our sleeping late, playing corn hole all day and sitting around a fire until early hours of the morning. Oh how kids change everything!

Our hostesses have a daughter close to Cecilia's age so they played with one another most of the weekend.

 Cecilia and Maci

Cecilia had a blast playing outside.

 She carried that bucket filled with rocks like a pocketbook all morning long.  It was hilarious!

 Maci was such a good hostess.  She shared her toys and let Cecilia play with whatever she wanted to.

Cecilia came out of her shell and let Matt swing her,

then later she walked off with Ally to go look at the frogs.

Cecilia wasn't the only one playing and having a good time.  Her daddy and his friends sat up a shooting range and played with a new gun then later rode 4 wheelers.

A certain someone got really upset when her daddy left on the 4 wheeler and didn't take her.  So guess who got a couple of trips around the yard.

Even though the 3 of us can barely hold our heads up, we loved hanging out with everyone and hate that we don't get together more.  We were already planning our next visit.  The funny thing is we were planning it more around what the kids would like to do more than what we like to do.  Funny how our minds change so quickly.

Cel-E-Brate Good Times!

To celebrate Brent getting a new job (YEA!!!!), my parents took us to eat at Olive Garden Wednesday night.  Really, it was just a good excuse for them to see this little face...

The food is always good and we only had a few meltdowns and I only had to threaten to escort Cecilia out once.  She is catching on that I mean business.

And no celebration is complete without a trip to Stakz!

I know this picture is blurry but it shows Cecilia's personality right now.  We told Cecilia to look at the camera and she leans forward with a smile and said 'hey.'

I switched things up this time from my normal birthday cake, chocolate and sprinkles to have a little Neapolitan.  Yumm...

We are so excited about Brent's new adventure and hope this a step in the right direction.  The only downer, no more discount at Target. :(

On a side note, Cecilia had her 18 month check up that same day.  She got 3 shots and did not take them so well.  I had put a skirt on her to make things easier and so there wouldn't be anything rubbing up against them.  Well after we got in the car she lifted her skirt, looked at the band aids and starting crying.  She did this all the way home and all night!  It was so funny to watch her run around playing then stop lift up her skirt, point to the band aids and then let out a small cry.

checking out her band aids

Even after the band aids came off, she would point to the marks and let out a little cry.  If that's not dramatic I don't know what is!

Are You Ready for Some Football!

We had our first Colts' Monday night football game and we were geared up!

We got dressed for the occasion and I made a well balanced dinner of chili cheese tots

and chili dogs!

I went a little lighter with just a regular hot dog and cheese tots.

The cheering section.

We didn't pull out a win but the cheering section had long given up on them by that point.  This may not be their season with the star QB out but maybe we can start cheering for my team (the Niners) this year.  They are long overdue a good season.

Which End is Up

Our week has been so crazy, I'm not sure what day it is.  I was out of town on business on Thursday and Friday.  Home on Wednesday with a sick kid and being out of our routine always throws me off.

I hate traveling for work because the days are long, I don't sleep well in hotels and my inbox is at its max.  The only good part about it is coming home to a smiling little face that greets me with a 'hi.'

I have spent my whole weekend sitting in the floor playing or sitting next to her watching Mickey.

She always grows 10 inches while I'm gone.

The weather has been fabulous this weekend but with a smoker's cough and a runny nose, we stayed inside for the most part.  We ran some errands both days just so we could see something other than our 4 walls.

Her new thing when I go to take a picture, lean in to the camera and not smile.

Staying in is always good but it makes Mondays so much harder.

JPR Sip 'n See

Sunday I got to ooo and ahh over one of my best friend's baby, John Patrick.  He is seriously the cutesst little thing and such a good baby.  The only way you knew he was there was by the group of people huddled together in one area.

The Sip 'n See was after lunch on Sunday so Mom and I just did a few little snack items.

I displayed all the adorable little pictures of him since birth.

And here was the star of the show...

Adorable, right?

Best we could do with 3 little ones.  The cute little thing in the middle is John Patricks' cousin.  Then I think we all know the crazy one on the far right.

Look at her.  So pretty.

Precious Sydney.

Our entertainer, Kellen.  He was singing and dancing and saying the funniest things.  Cecilia grabbed his attention for a little while and he kissed on her and tried to get her to laugh.  Then he asked if he could headbutt her!  He is FULL of energy and I got tired just watching him run around.

Abby and John Patrick, Jaclyn and Sydney, Cecilia and I.  Can you tell which kid isn't happy?

At the end I finally got to hold John Patrick.  A certain someone got a tad jealous but got over enough to give him some lovin'. 

Going in for her classic affectionate pat.  She was very gentle and sweet but also very glad when I handed him back off.

It was a great afternoon and I would not have been able to do it without the help of my team (my parents!).  My dad was so sweet and built me poles (the night before) to hang the drapes behind the food table.  What a great guy!

Sunday 9:13pm

Another weekend gone in a blink.  Usually that means we had a busy weekend.

Friday night, we had some friends over for a cookout that we hadn't seen all summer.  We are always curious of how Cecilia will act when people come over that she hasn't seen in awhile.  She barely missed a beat when they walked in the door.  Of course it helped they came bearing gifts.

They were sweet enough to get her Zippity Zebra, a pillow pet.

She loved it!  She warmed right up to them and was a charmer all night.

And thanks to Mickey Mouse On Demand, we were able to have some adult conversation.

We finished the night huddled around the fire pit still catching up on what's been going on.

Saturday we spent much of the day laying around because we are in the first stages of cutting some new teeth and that means no sleep at the Miller household.  It's ROUGH cutting all our teeth at the same time.  We managed to get out late that afternoon after we took a 2 hour nap.

Today, I, with help from my WONDERFUL parents, hosted a Sip 'n See for my friend Abby's son, John Patrick.  I loved spending my afternoon looking at that precious baby!  He is so stinkin' cute!  I will have more to share on this when I get my pictures back from my photographer, aka my dad.  He did so much for me today that I wouldn't dare ask for the pictures right away.

Cecilia was a trooper all day; going strong with no nap!  I couldn't believe the good mood she was in despite no nap.  But we didn't get too far down the road we I looked back to see this...

She was done!

Why does my week seem to always drag but my weekends fly by?